[Many thanks to artist Pseudo Mero for bringing this item to our attention.] 90 Grados recently reported on the forthcoming exhibition “Carlos Raquel Rivera (1923-1999),” curated by Dianne Brás-Feliciano, from Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. Her research, supported by a fellowship from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts will serve as the foundation for the first comprehensive retrospective of Carlos Raquel Rivera (1923-1999) in the United States, which will be held at the Baker Museum in Naples, Florida, in October 2027. According to 90 Grados, the exhibition will tour various museums in the United States before arriving in Puerto Rico. It will be accompanied by an essential bilingual catalog that will contextualize the contributions of his work.
This fellowship-supported research will serve as the foundation for the first comprehensive retrospective of Carlos Raquel Rivera (1923-1999) in the United States, which will be held at The Baker Museum in Naples, Florida. Featuring work that will span his career as a printmaker, draftsman and painter, the project will contribute to efforts to reconsider how artists like Rivera are situated within the evolving histories of Caribbean, Latin American and American art, helping audiences recognize the ongoing relevance of his work in conversations about power, identity and belonging. It will cover a wide range of Rivera’s works, including prints, posters and paintings, tracing his evolution as an artist and activist. While his printmaking has received some attention, his paintings, rich in symbolism, psychological depth and surrealist influence, remain underexplored.
This project will initiate a critical study of these works, examining their engagement with the subconscious and colonial trauma. Rivera’s visual language resonates strongly with contemporary artists who address migration, labor rights and decolonial narratives. By fostering a dialogue between Rivera’s legacy and current artistic practices, the project will serve as a dynamic platform for exploring the role of art in social movements and cultural resistance.
For more information, see https://warholfoundation.org/grants/archive/dianne-bras-feliciano/
For related articles, also see https://www.uprm.edu/nuevoshorizontes/2024/05/01/una-mirada-a-carlos-raquel-rivera-surrealismo-o-pesadilla/ and https://www.conexionpr.org/carlos-raquel-rivera/
[Shown above: Rivera’s “Trees” (1957), Museo de Arte de Ponce. Source: https://emuseum.museoarteponce.org/people/281/carlos-raquel-rivera/objects/images?filter=collections%3APuerto%20Rican%20Painting%3Bdepartment%3ALatin%20American]